Attorney General Todd Rokita asks Hoosiers to watch for signs of human trafficking and report suspicions

January 11 is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day

Attorney General Todd Rokita today asked Hoosiers to stay alert for signs of human trafficking in communities across Indiana and to report any suspicious activities to authorities. People in certain job roles — such as medical professionals, restaurant workers, teachers and truck drivers — are particularly likely to come into contact with trafficking victims.

“The evil enterprise of human trafficking is a modern form of slavery,” Attorney General Rokita said. “In America, this scourge is propagated in significant part by criminal cartels operating out of Mexico, and it’s yet one more reason we need to secure the southern border. Here in Indiana, we’re committed to rescuing victims from their enslavers and bringing perpetrators to justice.”

Human trafficking is a $150 billion criminal enterprise. It occurs anytime someone uses force, fraud or coercion to make another individual provide labor, services or commercial sex acts. If the person performing commercial sex acts is under 18, the crime of human trafficking still occurs even without the elements of force, fraud or coercion. (humantraffickinghotline.org)

With January 11 being National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, now is a fitting time to remind Hoosiers to stay watchful for signs that someone might be a trafficking victim.

According to the U.S. State Department, those signs include observations that someone:

• lives with their employer.
• lives with multiple people in a cramped space.
• otherwise experiences poor living conditions.
• is prohibited from speaking alone to strangers.
• gives answers that appear to be scripted and rehearsed.
• has an employer holding their identity documents.
• shows signs of physical abuse.
• is submissive or fearful.
• is unpaid or paid very little.
• is under 18 and working in the commercial sex industry.

If you have suspicions that someone is being trafficked, you should immediately call local law enforcement. You may also call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.